Carrier Apparatus

ABSTRACT

A body carrier apparatus may include a front carrier and a rear carrier. In some examples, the body carrier apparatus may protect a wearer of the body carrier apparatus from ballistics. In further examples, the body earner apparatus may reduce stress on shoulder muscles while maintaining shoulder mobility.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application 62/963,459 filed Jan. 20, 2020, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety herein for any and all purposes.

BACKGROUND Technical Field

This application pertains to an apparatus used to carry items on a human body, such as backpacks and body armor plate carriers that include a rear carrier connected to a front carrier via straps that extend over the shoulders.

Background Art

People frequently wear backpacks and other carrier devices to help carry loads across distances. For example, military personnel when walking in combat zones may wear body armor plate carriers, as discussed further below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute part of the specification, illustrate various embodiments. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an illustration showing a front view of a user standing upright wearing an improved front armor plate carrier with the front carrier supported by the shoulder straps that extend over the shoulders near the acromioclavicular joints.

FIG. 2 is an illustration showing a rear view of a user wearing the improved front armor plate carrier with the back carrier supported by the shoulder straps that extend over the shoulders near the acromioclavicular joints.

FIG. 3 is an illustration showing a side elevation view of the user shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 .

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of an armor plate carrier found in embodiments that uses two shoulder straps attached to top edges of front and rear body plate carriers.

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the improved body carrier apparatus.

FIG. 6 is an exploded view of one embodiment of a spreader.

FIG. 7 is an exploded view of another embodiment of the spreader.

FIG. 8 is a partial top view of a distal end of the spreader attached to the first strap.

FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of the spreader curving forward to conform to the user's back.

FIG. 10 is a sectional side view of the rear carrier with a second spreader and a body armor plate mounted on the lip.

FIGS. 11-13 correspond to photos of one embodiment of the body carrier apparatus.

FIG. 14 is a closer top plan view of the FIG. 4 embodiment.

FIGS. 15-19 are plan views of various measured widths of an embodiment of the spreader.

FIGS. 20-22 are views of major organs and tissue to be protected by the plate carrier.

FIG. 23 is a view of the free form curve of the spreader.

FIG. 24 is a view of a user wearing a plate carrier in a correct and beneficial position.

FIG. 25 is a view of a user wearing a plate carrier in an incorrect and dangerous position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Body armor plate carriers may include a front plate carrier and a rear plate carrier connected together by two shoulder straps that extend over the user's shoulders. The front and rear plate carriers may include pockets filled with heavy, bullet proof armor plates and other objects such as ammunition, radios, eyewear, and water containers. The front and rear plate carriers are often attached to clips or straps that are further attached to various objects.

In some examples, the shoulder straps used with body armor plate carriers are attached to the top edges or corners of the front and rear plate carriers and extend over the trapezius muscles. Because the body armor plate carriers must be worn for several hours, the trapezius muscles become fatigued and sore. The unnatural loading of the trapezius muscle is painful and encourages an anatomically incorrect positioning of the shoulders; the shoulders roll forward, straining the anterior labrum, reducing shoulder mobility and increasing risk for injury. This shoulder positioning also reduces the wearer's ability to breathe fully through their diaphragm.

Due to the fact that there are more items and heavier items stored or attached to the front carrier than the rear plate carrier, the entire body plate armor carrier slides over the shoulders in a forward direction. This forward sliding movement of the body plate carrier over the shoulders thereby misaligns the armor plates in the front and rear plate carriers. Users must periodically lift and re-adjust the body plate carrier over the shoulders to reposition the armor plates over the upper chest and upper back regions.

FIGS. 1-3 show an improved body carrier apparatus, generally indicated by reference number 30, designed to be worn over the shoulders 12 of a user 10. The body carrier apparatus 30 includes a front carrier 40 and a rear carrier 50 connected together with two shoulders straps 90. The shoulder straps 90 may fall substantially over the acromioclavicular joints 16, thereby reducing fatigue of the shoulder and neck muscles at area 14.

FIG. 4 shows a body carrier apparatus 100 in one embodiment, upon which the various embodiments of this application may improve. As shown in this figure, the body carrier apparatus may include a front carrier 150 and a rear carrier 140, which both hold a plate 180. Shoulder straps 170 may connect front carrier and rear carrier at a connection point 152 and a connection point 142. Notably, the distance between the two straps at connection point 152 is substantially the same as the distance between the two straps at connection point 142. In other words, the shoulder straps lie substantially parallel to each other. These shoulder straps would, therefore, fall onto the shoulder and neck muscle at areas 14 in FIGS. 1-2 .

In contrast to the embodiment of FIG. 4 , this application discloses that rear carrier 50 may include a spreader 70 (see FIGS. 5-7 ) that connects to two shoulder straps 90. Spreader 70 may also position and hold shoulders straps 90 in a relatively fixed position over the user's acromioclavicular joints 16. Each shoulder strap 90 then extends forward, converges and attaches to the corners of front plate carrier 40. Front carrier 40 is configured to hold an armor plate 42 and rear carrier 50 is configured to hold a second armor plate 52. Rear carrier 50 includes a transversely aligned, wing-shaped spreader 70 at or near the upper edge of rear carrier 50. Spreader 70 is integrally formed or attached to the bag structure (not shown) that is part of rear carrier 50. Matching fabric material covers the spreader 70. Additional packs, pockets, and straps, etc., can then be selectively attached to the bag structure.

The spreader 70, 70′ is a thin, rigid structure that may be formed substantially of a thermoplastic composite. Attached to the distal ends of the first and second straps 90 may be compatible hook-and-loop connector pads that enable the user to selectively adjust the overall lengths of the straps 90.

In some examples, the spreader is made of high impact resistant polypropylene thermoplastic material, such as material sold under the trademark TEGRIS by Milliken & Company located in Spartanburg, S.C. The spreader may be substantially composed of TEGRIS self-reinforced polymer and/or TEGRIS fabric. In the case of fabric, the spreader may be cut with a laser and the resulting layers bonded together. Additionally, or alternatively, the spreader may be partly, substantially, or entirely composed of polymer, thermoplastic composite, thermoplastic polymer, reinforced polymer, self-reinforced polymer, or a composite with ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene fibers (UHMWPE), polyamide (PA) fibers, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fibers, and/or polypropylene (PP) fibers. Various ones of these may be described further as “self-reinforced polymer composites,” “all-polymer composites,” “single polymer composites,” and “one polymer composites,” although these may generally be referred to collectively as “self-reinforced polymer composites.”

Self-reinforced polymer composites (e.g., self-reinforced plastics and single polymer composites) may include fiber reinforced composite materials. The fiber reinforcement in the materials is formed of a highly oriented version of the same polymer from which the matrix is made. Self-reinforced polymer composites are manufactured from a variety of different thermoplastic polymers such as polyamide, polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, ultra-high density polyethylene, ultra-high density polypropylene, and polypropylene.

Stiffness is a property which is augmented as a result of turning a material into a self-reinforced polymer composite. Strength, heat deflection temperature, and impact performance are all increased while offering little increase in the density of the material. The increase in impact performance is due to interfacial failure between the polymer tapes/fibers and the matrix material around them. This is a failure mechanism which does not exist in virgin unreinforced polymers as obviously there are no tapes/fibers and no interfacial bonds, and thus the materials react as they traditionally would. As with all fiber reinforced composites, these materials gain their properties by transferring loads from the relatively low property matrix material into the high performance reinforcement fibers. Due to the very high level of molecular orientation within the reinforcements of self-reinforced polymer composites resulting from high draw ratios (up to 20 or more for polypropylene), the tape/fiber reinforcement within these materials has vastly higher properties than the unmodified material. Due to this, more traditional failure mechanisms such as tensile failure are delayed due to the transmission of load from the matrix to the tape/fiber reinforcement.

It is also helpful to discuss the desirability of thermoset polymers in comparison to thermoplastic. In some embodiments, single polymer and one polymer composites may lack a beneficial or essential tape/fiber construction of the self-reinforced polymer families. For at least these reasons, in some embodiments self-reinforced polymer may be preferable. Similarly, thermoset composites are possible but not necessarily preferred as a choice of material for the spreader. Thermoset material such as glass reinforced PETG may provide sufficient tensile strength but may also be prone to catastrophic failure and could potentially increase injury to the user. Moreover, thermoplastics also provide the additional benefit of potentially being field repairable. Generally speaking, thermoplastic and self-reinforced polymer composites may be beneficial or preferred.

The rigid or semirigid structure of the self-reinforced polymer composites may enhance an ability of the plate carrier to protect electronics. Some plate carriers do not have any extended rigid or semirigid connectors between the front and rear plate bag, and therefore cannot benefit from the heightened protection that such connectors provide. For example, electronics may be beneficially embedded within the spreader. Such electronics may include antennas (e.g., a powered antenna for military communications), piezoelectric devices, and/or thermoelectric generators (TEGs) or Seebeck generators. Similarly, flexible circuitry may be wound through the spreader for greater protection. Such flexible circuitry may be embedded in a routed out channel in the thermoplastic layers.

FIG. 5 shows how, in comparison to the embodiment of FIG. 4 , spreader 70 performs a “spreading” function, due to the combination of its width and rigidity, which effectively spreads shoulder straps 90 to create an angle 510 and a corresponding angle 500. Angle 510 may be exactly or approximately 13 degrees. In other examples, the angle may be 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, or 25% bigger or smaller than 13 degrees. Angle 510 thereby improves upon the angle-less or parallel shoulder straps shown in FIG. 4 . Indeed, other embodiments generally have no extended rigidity in the connections between the front and rear plate bags. Rather these connections are just nylon or fabric connections, with perhaps just a small 1-2 cm hard connection that does not provide any of the benefits of the spreader that are outlined above.

FIG. 5 also shows the cummerbund (corresponding to the three straps on the top left and top right) of rear carrier 50. In some examples, the cummerbund may be configured to be adjustable in the vertical direction. The realignment of the plate carrier, in comparison to the embodiment of FIG. 4 , may result in the cummerbund, pockets, etc., to be higher than previously. Accordingly, the cummerbund and pockets, etc., may be made adjustable in height, or simply relocated to a more user friendly and practical location (e.g., 2-3 inches lower) to accommodate the vertical rise in the plate position, thereby preserving essentially the same location of these items despite the shift in the plate position. Maintaining a desirable or convenient position for the cummerbund and pockets, etc., will also help incentivize correct wearing and positioning of the carrier (e.g., it is desirable to avoid positioning the gear so high that the user is tempted to shift the front plate bag down and thereby misposition the straps on the shoulders).

The body carrier apparatus 10 shown and described herein is a body plate carrier. It should be understood, however that the spreader may be used on other types of carriers, such as backpacks, hiking packs, resistance or athletics training packs or carriers (e.g., CrossFit), standing baby or toddler carriers, etc. Thus, although protection of vital organs from ballistics is one benefit of the improved carrier apparatus here, it is just one specific benefit among many benefits. More generally, the improved carrier apparatus here ensures or facilitates the placing of the load on the user's skeletal structure at or near the acromioclavicular joints, which is significantly more comfortable than in FIG. 4 embodiment. This configuration also significantly improves breathing (e.g., respiratory capacity) and prevents a rolling of shoulders into an undesirable anterior tilt. Moreover, especially with the vertical column, the spreader serves as a cantilever allowing the rear plate to effectively counterweight the front plate bag and associated load. As a counterweight, the spreader helps prevent the front plate bag from sagging down (e.g., while the user is running or active). Generally speaking, the spreader reduces physiological strain. Moreover, the spreader effectively improves shoulder mobility and shoulder health in comparison to the FIG. 4 embodiment.

FIG. 5 also shows how spreader 70 may be disposed within anti-creep material. Such anti-creep material may be used in sailboats, construction tubing, and exotic antennas, for example, but generally has not been used in the context of backpacks and carriers such as plate carriers. The anti-creep material, such as an anti-creep laminated fabric or composite, may constrain the thermoformed shape of the thermoplastic spreader. The anti-creep material may be disposed on a shell to provide tension.

Disclosed herein are various embodiments of the spreader indicated by the reference numbers 70 and 70′. A first embodiment, spreader 70, is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 . A second embodiment, spreader 70′, is shown in FIG. 7 .

Each spreader 70, 70′ has a flat center region 72, 72′ and two laterally extending arms 74, 76 and 74′, 76′, respectively. Each arm 74, 74′, 76, 76′ converges to a narrow distal end 77, 77′ respectively. In the second spreader 70′, also called a spread hug, the center region 72′ is longer than the center region 72 used with the first spreader 70. Formed on the lower edge of the center region 72 is a rearward extending lip 78 (see FIG. 10 ). Spreader 70′ is designed to provide greater back support and more securely hold the armor plate and designed to be used with a plate pocket with a lower opening that closes with a folding flap. When a second armor plate 52 is inserted into the plate pocket, the lip 78 holds the second armor plate 52 in a relatively fixed position over the user's back and prevents the armor plate and pocket from sagging on the user's back.

Each spreader 70, 70′ is a laminated structure made of a large main plate 70A, 70A′ a medium intermediate plate 70B, 70B′, and a smaller outer plate 70C, 70C′. The plates 70A, 70A′, 70B, 70B′ and 70C, 70C′, respectively, are affixed to create a thicker, center region 72, 72′, respectively, and thinner lateral arms 74, 76.

The arms 74, 76 may be aligned with the center region creating a straight portion along its transverse axis ‘X’. In further embodiments, the arms 74, 76 may curve forward relative to the center region 72 enabling the arms 74, 76 to conform with the user's back. Generally speaking, the arms 74, 76 may curve both up (i.e., the direction from the wearer's feet to head, as shown by arms 74, 76 being higher than center region 72) and forward (i.e., the direction from the rear carrier to the front carrier). The arms 74, 76 are thinner than the center region 72 and therefore able to bend forward against the user's back when worn.

The spreader may provide a number of advantages. For example, sensory input from the spreader increases afferent input to the sensory cortex to stimulate proper postural integration in static and dynamic postures. Specifically, the rigid material of the spreader against the spine of the scapula and the posterior acromion, which are bony prominences, provides sensory input. Input to these areas induces more of a resting position of scapular posterior tipping. This scapular positioning allows for upregulation of lower and middle trapezius musculature, which in turn downregulates upper trapezius overactivation during dynamic movements and overhead elevation of the upper extremity. Additionally, the spreader may be rigid and may sit flush against the previously mentioned bony prominences of the scapula. Due to the rear plate bag resisting and pulling inferiorly with gravity, the rigid spreader is facilitating an actual mechanical posterior tipping, which enhances shoulder girdle/glenohumeral health.

Furthermore, due to the spreader rigidity and placement, the spreader provides an even distribution of weight between the rear and front plate bag, anteriorly and posteriorly, with even sagittal plane weight distribution. The spreader helps prevent sliding of the plate carrier forward or down. This is beneficial because, if the carrier slides forward or down, then the aortic arch is exposed just superior to the manubrium.

Returning to FIG. 5 , the distal end of each arm respectively, attaches to a wide, flat first strap 92 that extends forward over the user's shoulder (see also FIG. 8 ). In the embodiment of FIG. 5 , each first strap 92 connects to a second strap 94 that attaches to the front carrier 40. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5 , the second strap 94 is attached to a triangular shaped, reinforced gusset 96 that attaches to a corner of front carrier 40. Optionally, the second strap 94 may be eliminated and the first strap 92 lengthened and connected directly to front plate carrier 40.

FIG. 9 shows a side view of arm 74. As shown in this figure, arm 74 curves both up and forward to substantially follow the curve of the user's back. FIG. 10 elaborates on FIG. 9 and shows how center region 72′, shown in FIG. 7 , may connect to first strap 92 and second strap 94 through arms 74. Moreover, rear plate 52 for protection from ballistics may sit on lip 78.

FIGS. 11-13 correspond to photographs of one embodiment of the plate carrier. FIG. 11 shows how a width of the spreader may be exactly or approximately 15 inches. In other examples, the width of the spreader may be increased or decreased 1%, 2%, 3%, 5%, 10%, or 15%, for example. Different widths may accommodate different sizes (e.g., men's small, medium, or large). All of the rulers and measurements shown in the drawings are drawn effectively or substantially to scale such that the rulers and measurements may be relied on as appropriate.

Similarly, FIG. 12 shows how the width between the shoulder straps is approximately 15 inches again from a front perspective. In some examples, the top edge of the front plate is positioned just below the suprasternal notch.

FIG. 13 further shows how the width of the spreader is approximately 15 inches. Notably, the version of the spreader in FIG. 13 may not always result in optimum placement of the rear carrier plate, even though the spreader does still provide the benefit of relieving stress on the shoulder and neck muscles, while maintaining shoulder mobility, as well as the benefit of improving (but not necessarily optimizing) front and rear plate placement. In some examples, it may be beneficial to configure the plate carrier and spreader such that the rear plate is positioned higher, as in FIG. 2 . In these examples, the top edge of the rear plate (e.g., an edge corresponding to edge 1508 in FIG. 17 ) may be positioned 1-1.5 inches below the C7 vertebra.

FIG. 14 shows a closer plan view of the embodiment previously shown in FIG. 4 . As shown in FIG. 14 , this embodiment may have shoulder straps that are essentially parallel. Moreover, the width between the two shoulder straps (i.e., about 10-13 inches) may be substantially narrower than the various embodiments disclosed herein. The shoulder straps of this embodiment may, therefore, stress the neck and shoulder muscles, while also triggering plate misalignment, as discussed further above.

FIGS. 15-19 show various plan views of a spreader 1504, a vertical column 1506, and a stiffener 1502. Spreader 1504 may include a number of different edges on the right-hand side, including an edge 1524, an edge 1522, an edge 1510, an edge 1512, an edge 1518, and an edge 1514. Because the spreader is generally symmetrical, spreader 1504 may also include a number of parallel edges on the left-hand side.

Similar to the spreader of FIG. 7 , spreader 1504 may connect with vertical column 1506 to form a T shape. The right-hand side of vertical column 1506 may include an edge 1516, an edge 1520, an edge 1526, and an edge 1528. Vertical column 1506 may also include parallel edges on the left-hand side. As shown in FIG. 15 , edge 1514 and edge 1516 may be substantially the same length (e.g., approximately 3 cm). Similarly, edge 1508 may be substantially the same combined width of edge 1516, edge 1520, and the left-hand edge parallel to edge 1520 (e.g., approximately 10 cm). Edge 1516 may form a protrusion for mating with a corresponding cavity formed under edge 1514. Moreover, edge 1520 may have substantially the same length as edge 1518 (e.g., approximately 3.5 cm) to help ensure a secure fit between spreader 1504 and vertical column 1506.

Spreader 1504 includes a number of other edges with notable features. For example, the size or length of edge 1510 should be dimensioned to match the webbing of the plate carrier to which edge 1510 is attached. If edge 1510 is too narrow, then the connection between the front plate bag and the rear plate bag may become impractical or difficult.

Edge 1510 may be the edge loaded during a finite element analysis. In particular, a finite element analysis might load 20 kg on both sides of the spreader, and also allow for approximately 3 cm of deflection of the spreader arms inbound or outbound (e.g., the maximum such distance a human can practically move shoulders inbound or outbound). Approximately 3 cm forward or backward may form a desirable target amount of deflection. In contrast, too rigid of a structure, and corresponding less deflection, can render the spreader unwearable. Too soft and deflecting of a spreader will not function appropriately to carry heavier loads (e.g., 30-50 pounds of equipment). The finite element analysis may involve running tens of thousands of simulations, for example, with the goal of determining the proper thickness of the spreader to satisfy these constraints (i.e., maintaining 3 cm deflection of the spreader arms while handling 30-50 pounds of loading). In contrast, it may be beneficial to reduce the size or length of edge 1512 as much as possible or practical while nevertheless supporting the weight on edge 1510.

Edge 1508 may be beneficially aligned just shy of the top of the rear plate. If edge 1508 is aligned over the top of the rear plate, this may create significant discomfort for the user (e.g., because of digging into the neck area). Edge 1508 serves as a helpful marker to determine whether the rear plate is placed in a beneficial or optimum position. Edge 1508 may also beneficially be dimensioned to be just slightly less lengthy than the corresponding section of the rear plate (e.g., approximately 10 cm). Moreover, edge 1522 may curve or curl up to a respective shoulder, and this curve facilitates alignment of spreader 1506 along the natural curve of the user's back. Additionally, the total height from edge 1508 to the bottommost point of spreader 1504 may be dimensioned to a length that is helpful or necessary to ensure proper plate positioning (e.g., approximately 10 cm).

Generally speaking, the specific cavity formed under edge 1514, including the connected cavity formed under edge 1518, create a key shape that was the result of a finite element analysis. This specific key shape may prevent the deterioration of durability of the spreader. Moreover, the small vertical edge next to edge 1518 at the bottom of the spreader may be substantially, essentially, or entirely parallel to edge 1524, as shown in FIG. 15 . In other examples, this small edge on the right-hand side (and the parallel edge on the left-hand side) may be relocated substantially more centrally, rather than being parallel with edge 1524.

In the context of manufacturing, the key shape of spreader 1504 and the parallel or matching protrusion of vertical column 1506 may remain substantially or entirely the same even across different sizes of the spreader. Thus, vertical column 1506 may remain substantially or entirely the same regardless of whether it is used in an extra small size, small size, medium size, large size, extra-large size (or beyond) plate carrier etc. (although a portion of vertical column 1506, such as the bottom at edge 1528, may be cut to accommodate different human sizes). Similarly, even when the width of spreader 1504 increases or decreases to accommodate different human sizes, the exact dimensions of the key shape may remain substantially or entirely the same. To accommodate the different human sizes, the overall width of spreader 1504 may be increased approximately two cm to two inches (e.g., one cm or one inch per side). For example, an extra-large spreader may be 2 cm wider than a medium spreader on each side and, therefore, 4 cm total wider. As an example, spreader 1504 in FIG. 15 may have an overall width of about 35 cm. Again, any one or more of the angles, lengths, and/or dimensions disclosed herein may be increased or decreased by 1%, 2%, 3%, 5%, or 10%, etc., to accommodate different human sizes. Furthermore, the phrase “approximately” herein may be interpreted as “approximately or exactly.”

Stiffener 1502 may have the smaller shape shown in FIG. 15 or, alternatively, may have a longer shape that substantially matches the length of spreader 1504. Stiffener 1502 may optionally be affixed to the rear side and/or the front side of spreader 1504, thereby creating a thicker spreader at the center than at the arms. Also FIG. 15 shows spreader 1504, vertical column 1506, and stiffener 1502 as separate components that may be glued, sewn, or otherwise integrated with each other (e.g., using pressure and heat). In other examples, two or more of these components may be manufactured as a single integral whole rather than being built from sub-components as in FIGS. 15-19 .

FIG. 16 shows how edge 1528 may be approximately 10 cm long (i.e., the same as edge 1508 and the combined width of the key shape). FIG. 16 also shows how edge 1526 may be approximately 24 cm. FIG. 17 shows how the height of the key protrusion formed by edge 1516 is approximately 4 cm. Similarly, the height of the key hole formed by edge 1514 is approximately 4 cm as well. FIG. 18 provides a clearer view of how edge 1508 is approximately 10 cm. Lastly, FIG. 19 provides another view of how edge 1508 is approximately 10 cm, and a total height of vertical column 1506 is approximately 28.5 cm.

The plan views of FIGS. 15-19 do not necessarily show the thickness of spreader 1504, vertical column 1506, and stiffener 1502. These items may have thicknesses of approximately 3-9 mm. The combination of the spreader and the stiffener may have one to three layers of thermoplastic composite, and each layer may be approximately 3 mm. The lower portion of vertical column 1506 may have a thickness of approximately 1 mm. Moreover, the thickness along the arms of the spreader may vary continuously (e.g., the arms may become thinner in comparison to the central portion of the spreader, as further discussed above).

FIGS. 21-23 show helpful diagrams of major organs that can be protected by the improved plate carriers that are described herein. Body armor is meant to keep the soldier in the fight after being struck by bullets or shrapnel. It should protect the vital organs which, if hit, would quickly take the soldier down and prevent the soldier from putting rounds on an intended target. The possibility of saving the soldier's life is a secondary benefit of body armor. With this purpose in mind it is important to understand those structures that are needed to protect, and which can realistically be protected while still maintaining a great degree of mobility.

The primary concern is the heart and the large blood vessels which sprout from the top of the heart: the superior vena cava, the arch of the aorta and the pulmonary trunk. These vessels are collectively referred to as “the great vessels.”

The heart is important for its obvious function of providing pressure to circulate blood to the lungs via the right side of the heart and then on to the body via the left side of the heart. Within the body the heart lies left of center, with its apex near the left nipple. Thus, while fitting a plate as a general guideline one must select a plate which will cover the nipples to ensure the entire heart is protected. Note that in some individuals the nipples may be slightly more lateral than the apex of the heart.

The great vessels of the heart lie directly behind the uppermost portion of the sternum, known as the manubrium, and sit directly on top of the heart. The great vessels wrap and twist around each other, making it likely that a hit to one will likely perforate another and result in massive hemorrhage.

Arguably the most important of the three great vessels is the aorta, due to its size and high velocity of blood flow, 5 liters a minute. The average 165 pound man has 5 liters of blood in his body and thus can completely bleed out within one minute if the aorta is dramatically perforated. Loss of consciousness can occur with less than 40% of blood loss, approximately two liters, and thus can occur in well under a minute. Of equal importance to the heart is the respiratory diaphragm, the muscle which, when contracting, allows one to decrease air pressure within your lungs and thus draw in air. Destroying the diaphragm will destroy one's ability to breathe. Protecting the entirety of the respiratory diaphragm is not realistic, but the majority of it will be protected by a properly fitted plate. The diaphragm is dome shaped, following the bottom of your rib cage and doming up into the chest cavity.

Protecting the vertebral column is obviously important. It is desirable to protect as much of this as possible without sacrificing mobility. Unfortunately, protecting the entire vertebral column may not be realistic. It is important to note that a hit to the lungs may prove to eventually be lethal through blood loss or tension pneumothorax or tension hemothorax, but is not nearly as lethal as quickly as a hit to the heart and its great vessels. The liver and kidneys, while highly vascular, are also not immediately incapacitating and thus are of secondary concern. The rest of the viscera in your abdomen are of tertiary concern.

When properly fitted, a chest plate should not impinge on the anterior deltoids or pectoralis major muscles when punching out with a handgun or carbine. Any impingement on the shoulder may create discomfort or premature fatigue, and the impingement may possibly even aggravate certain shoulder conditions. In some cases, too large of a plate may prevent a shooter from assuming an ideal hold on their weapon. This, and even discomfort, can translate to misses down range.

A slightly smaller chest plate which fits with no impingement while punching out will not expose the heart as long as the plate still covers the nipples. A smaller plate will translate to a small increase in exposure of peripheral lung tissue and abdominal viscera, but these are organs which can take a hit without immediate consequences to the shooter. As stated previously, a shot to the lung, liver or kidney is not immediately fatal. This should be considered when choosing a plate that fits properly.

Regarding the positioning of the front plate, the top of the chest plate should be at the level of the suprasternal notch, which is also known as the jugular notch. Tracing the sternum with a finger superiorly, the soft spot you reach at the top of the sternum is the suprasternal notch. If one presses in with a finger and triggers choking then that indicates the correct spot. The chest plate should ride at least level with the top of one's sternum while standing. An easy way to ensure this is to place a finger in the suprasternal notch and position the plate such that the top of the plate touches the bottom of your finger.

In the context of the front plate, FIG. 20 shows the costomediastinal recess of the pleural cavity, the costodiaphragmatic recess of the pleural cavity, the oblique fissure of the right lung, the right border of the heart, the horizontal fissure of the right lung, the first rib and costal cartilage, the clavicle, the sternoclavicular joint, the cervical parietal pleura, the thyroid gland, the cricoid cartilage, the thyroid cartilage, the trachea, the jugular (suprasternal) notch, the apex of the lung, the arch of the aorta, the cardiac notch of the left lung, the left border of the heart, the oblique fissure of the left lung, and the costodiaphragmatic recess of the pleural cavity. The dashed lines also show ideal or desirable positioning of the front plate.

Regarding the positioning of the rear plate, one may begin by finding the most prominent bony eminence at the base of the neck. This is the vertebral eminence. Count down two bony spinouses (or measure down about 1.5 inches) and that should be above the level of the superior aspect of the sternum and thus level with the top of the front plate. Positioning at least this high may ensure that the entire heart and the great vessels are protected from a shot to the back. The front and back plate should be level with one another when viewed from the side.

In the context of the rear plate, FIG. 21 shows the border of the costal parietal pleura, the spine of scapula, the oblique fissure of the left lung, the apex of the left lung, the first rib, the spinous process of T1 vertebra, the cervical parietal pleura, the clavicle, the oblique fissure of the right lung, the horizontal fissure of the right lung, and the right border of the costal parietal pleura. Again, the dashed lines show ideal or desirable positioning of the rear plate.

Regarding the positioning of side or shoulder plates, these plates are intended to protect the highly vascular elements of your abdomen. They were introduced to prevent troops from bleeding out in a helicopter on the way to a field hospital. Side plates were not necessarily intended to protect the heart, but if a soldier wears them high up into the armpits then the soldier can protect some of the lower portion of the heart. Protecting the heart from a shot to the side is accomplished by shoulder plates, such as the ones manufactured by Crye Precision.

In the context of side plates, FIG. 22 shows the T2, T3, T4, T5, T6, T7, T8, and T9 vertebrae, the first rib, the arch of the aorta, the jugular notch, the manubrium, the sternal angle at the manubriosternal point, the body of the sternum, the heart, the xiphisternal joint, the epigastric fossa, the xiphoid process, and the diaphragm.

In summary, the front plate should be even with the top of the sternum while standing and covering the entirety of each nipple. For best fit, the plate should not impinge on the shoulder when presenting a weapon. The back or rear plate should lie no lower than an inch below the vertebral prominence. A back plate that is one size larger than the chest plate may be beneficial. For side plates, it is preferable for these to ride as high as practical.

FIG. 23 provides another side view of one embodiment of the spreader. This embodiment may include a left arm 2304, a right arm 2302, and a vertical column 2310. Moreover, vertical column 2310 may include a lip 2308, which may correspond to extending lip 78 in FIG. 10 . Rear plate 52 may sit on lip 2308, as further discussed above. A stiffener 2306 is affixed to the spreader to increase rigidity.

FIG. 23 also further illustrates how left arm 2304 and right arm 2302 may curve in at least two directions. First, the two arms curve up (i.e., the direction from the soldier's feet to head), and thereby have endpoints higher than stiffener 2306. Second, the two arms also curl forward (i.e., the direction from the rear plate to the front plate). The combination of these two curves helps the spreader to substantially conform to the natural curve on a human user's back from the spinal cord up to the shoulders. In other words, the spreader substantially curves in free space (or three-dimensional space), and thereby conforms to the user's back-to-shoulders area, rather than forming a purely flat structure. Moreover, the rigidity of the spreader may create discomfort when or if the user attempts to reposition the spreader away from the area of the back that it conforms to. Thus, by fixing the height of the front and rear plate to the height of the spreader, the overall apparatus may help to ensure proper positioning of the front and rear plate, because deviations from the beneficial or optimal placement may cause discomfort.

FIG. 24 shows an example of a human user wearing a plate carrier in an improved or optimal placement. As shown in this figure, the front carrier rides high along the sternum such that the top of the plate is level with the suprasternal notch, as discussed above. This preferable or optimal placement of the front plate may be achieved as a result of the spreader (e.g. FIGS. 15-19), which creates the angle 510 (see FIG. 5 ) that effectively spreads the shoulder straps, thereby raising the front plate to the improved position shown in FIG. 24 . Moreover, the rigid or semirigid structure of the spreader may create discomfort when the placement of the spreader deviates from the natural or desired placement on the curve of the user's back from the spinal column to the left and right shoulders (see FIG. 23 ).

In contrast, FIG. 25 shows an example of inferior or suboptimal placement of the front plate, which is associated with the embodiment of FIG. 4 . As further shown in this figure, the front plate rides much too low, exposing significant portions of the chest cavity to potential damage from ballistics. Rather than riding level with the suprasternal notch, the top of the front plate is too low, and roughly halfway between the top and bottom of the lungs. The roughly parallel straps of FIG. 4 stimulate the user to misplace the front plate in the too-low position shown in FIG. 25 . In contrast, the spreader of the improved plate carriers described herein creates the angle 510 that effectively raises the front plate to a more desirable or optimal position, as shown in FIG. 24 . 

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus for improving protection of vital organs from ballistics, the apparatus comprising: a spreader comprising a left-side laterally extending arm and a right-side laterally extending arm; at least a portion of a plate carrier for carrying a plate that protects from ballistics; wherein: the spreader is substantially composed of a thermoplastic composite; the left-side laterally extending arm curves both forward and up in a manner that substantially follows the curve along a human back from the spine to the left shoulder; the right-side laterally extending arm curves both forward and up in a manner that substantially follows the curve along the human back from the spine to the right shoulder; and the spreader is integrated with the portion of the plate carrier.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the spreader is integrated within a rear plate bag of the plate carrier.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the spreader is integrated within the rear plate bag such that the left-side laterally extending arm and the right-side laterally extending arm both end just below a respective acromioclavicular joint.
 4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the spreader is integrated within the rear plate bag such that a top edge of the plate is aligned about 1 to 1.5 inches below the C7 vertebra.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the spreader is integrated within a completed version of the plate carrier.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the spreader is integrated within the completed version of the plate carrier such that a top edge of a front plate, which is disposed within a corresponding front plate bag, is aligned with the suprasternal notch.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the spreader connects to a vertical column to form a T shape.
 8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein a bottom edge of the T shape forms a lip to hold the plate.
 9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein an additional layer of the thermoplastic composite is attached to a forward or rear face of the spreader as a stiffener.
 10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the spreader is integrated with the portion of the plate carrier such that a width of the spreader causes shoulder straps of the plate carrier to spread and angle outward such that the shoulder straps ride on skeletal structure and avoid stressing the trapezius muscles.
 11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein electronics are integrated inside of the spreader such that the thermoplastic composite protects the electronics.
 12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the electronics comprise an antenna for military communications.
 13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic composite comprises at least one of: TEGRIS; or a self-reinforced polymer composite.
 14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic composite is disposed within anti-creep material.
 15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the anti-creep material ensures a level of curvature of the spreader by constraining a thermoformed shape of the spreader.
 16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plate comprises a small arms protective insert.
 17. An apparatus comprising: a spreader comprising a left-side laterally extending arm and a right-side laterally extending arm; wherein: the spreader is substantially composed of a thermoplastic composite; the left-side laterally extending arm curves both forward and up in a manner that substantially follows the curve along a human back from the spine to the left shoulder; and the right-side laterally extending arm curves both forward and up in a manner that substantially follows the curve along the human back from the spine to the right shoulder.
 18. A method comprising: identifying a spreader comprising a left-side laterally extending arm and a right-side laterally extending arm; identifying at least a portion of a plate carrier for carrying a plate that protects from ballistics; integrating the spreader with the portion of the plate carrier such that a width of the spreader causes shoulder straps of the plate carrier to spread and angle outward in a manner that rides on skeletal structure and avoids stressing the trapezius muscles; wherein: the spreader is substantially composed of a thermoplastic composite; the left-side laterally extending arm curves both forward and up in a manner that substantially follows the curve along a human back from the spine to the left shoulder; and the right-side laterally extending arm curves both forward and up in a manner that substantially follows the curve along the human back from the spine to the right shoulder.
 19. The method of claim 18, further comprising integrating the spreader with a completed version of the plate carrier.
 20. The method of claim 18, further comprising integrating the spreader with a vertical column to form a T shape. 